Saba Karim, the former India wicket-keeper batter questioned the need for left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan’s inclusion in the ODI squad for the South Africa tour. The left-handed opener has fallen behind in the pecking order with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul being touted as openers across all formats.
With young openers like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Prithvi Shaw making their case in the domestic circuit, the 36-year-old has only limited opportunities up his sleeve. Saba Karim notes that management would already be having one eye on the 2023 World Cup.
Saba Karim Doesn’t See The Point Of Shikhar Dhawan’s Inclusion In 3 ODIs Against South Africa
Shikhar Dhawan had a good outing in IPL 2021 scoring 587 runs in 16 games averaging 39.13 finishing as 4th highest run-scorer after Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, and KL Rahul. In IPL 2020 too, he finished as second-highest run-scorer after KL Rahul with 618 runs in 17 games averaging 44.14.
While speaking on the Khelneeti podcast on YouTube, Saba Karim said: “Even if Dhawan is there in the squad, will he be part of the playing XI? KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have opened in Tests and T20s, so I think they will open in ODIs as well. So, if you are including Dhawan in the squad and not playing him, should he be in the team?”
“I don’t see the point of his inclusion, what is the need? The only thing possible is the left hand-right hand combination of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. It has been a formidable partnership as well.”
36-year-old Shikhar Dhawan was part of the last two ODI series that India has competed in. He had a set of decent outings against England at home before proceeding to lead a second-string side in Sri Lanka. Shikhar Dhawan averages a high 45.56 amassing 6105 runs in 145 ODIs with 17 tons.
He averaged 56.33 and 64 in the last two ODI series against England at home and in Sri Lanka recently but was left out of the 2021 T20I World Cup squad. In T20Is, he averages a modest 27.92 in 68 T20Is amassing 1759 runs.
Saba Karim: It Would Be Difficult For Shikhar Dhawan To Make A Comeback
Saba Karim admitted it would be tough for Shikhar Dhawan to break into this current unit despite his credentials and experience. He notes that being a left-hander is the only thing that works in his favour at the moment.
Saba Karim added: “It would be difficult for Shikhar Dhawan to come back into this side. I still think that he should be given one more opportunity because he is a big player with experience. Have to see what the selectors and the team management think. I don’t think Delhi will qualify for the knockouts, so Dhawan has to prove by scoring runs and he only has one more match to do so.”
Shikhar Dhawan has only been able to register 44 runs across 4 matches in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He has one more fixture against Saurashtra to make his case ahead of the squad selection for the upcoming tour. Ruturaj Gaikwad on the other hand had scored 3 consecutive tons- 136, an unbeaten 154, and 124 to emerge as the leading run-scorer in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored 21 in the last match against Uttarakhand.
Ruturaj Gaikwad had amassed 435 runs in 4 matches so far averaging 145 with 3 tons. Venkatesh Iyer is the 2nd highest scorer with 348 runs averaging 87 in 4 games. Venkatesh Iyer followed scores of 112 and 71 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season with a dazzling 151. Shikhar Dhawan averages only 11 in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021/22 in stark contrast.